ASG to discuss future of higher education

The future of higher education in the state will be the focus of a discussion between N.C. legislators and students in Kenan Hall today.

The meeting will be put on by the UNC-system Association of Student Governments, which is composed of student leaders across the state and funded by an annual $1 student fee.

Christine Hajdin, vice president of ASG’s legislative and public affairs committee, organized the meeting in hopes of inspiring a statewide dialogue between students and their representatives.

“I’ve been working with and encouraging other schools to invite their representatives to campus,” Hajdin said in an email.

“I’m hoping this movement will go through next fall and all of the campuses will have the opportunity to have campus visits by their representatives.”

Several schools — including N.C. Central University, Western Carolina University and N.C. Agricultural & Technical State University — have planned or have already invited representatives to their campuses, Hajdin said.

Hajdin invited Rep. Verla Insko, D-Orange, and Sen. Ellie Kinnaird, D-Orange, to discuss the future of higher education and the relationship between the UNC system and the state.

She said the cost of the event totaled about $50 due to printing costs for flyers and thank you presents for each of the representatives.

Hajdin said she wanted to give students a chance to voice their opinions to the legislators with the question-and-answer session.

Insko said she hopes to focus on the UNC system during her speech, but particularly UNC-CH as the flagship university of the system.

“We will be discussing the future of higher education. This is a nationwide effort — how the university will respond to the decreasing funding,” Insko said.

“There’s a lot of pressure on the federal level,” she said. “There are fewer dollars flowing down … this is also true on the state level.”

UNC-CH Student Body President Will Leimenstoll said he plans to attend.

“These have always been strong defenders of the University,” he said.

Leimenstoll said he will focus on discussing what the average student can do to make an impact in the midst of challenges due to state funding cuts. The UNC system has absorbed more than $1 billion in state funding cuts during the last five years.

“There are certainly things students can do to have an impact.”

Insko said she encourages students to come to the N.C. General Assembly and meet with their representatives.

“We want every legislator to know and meet who they represent,” she said. “I am always encouraging students to meet their legislators.”

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